Upper limb rehabilitation system

Abstract

A robotic integrated platform for rehabilitating an upper limb of a subject, comprising: a rehabilitation device, said rehabilitation device comprising a mobile platform, a fixed platform, an upper limb platform and a movement altering device; wherein said mobile platform is movable in regard to said fixed platform, and wherein the upper limb of the subject is in physical contact with said upper limb platform, for exerting a force against said upper limb platform; and wherein said movement altering device alters a movement of said mobile platform; a controller interface for controlling said movement altering device; a computational device for controlling said controller interface, said computational device comprising a VR (virtual reality) module for constructing a VR environment, wherein said computational device provides haptic feedback to the subject through said rehabilitation device; and a VR display for the subject to view the VR environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A robotic integrated platform for rehabilitating an upper limb of a subject, comprising:
 a. a rehabilitation device, said rehabilitation device comprising a mobile platform, a fixed platform, an upper limb platform and a movement altering device; wherein said mobile platform is movable in regard to said fixed platform, and wherein the upper limb of the subject is in physical contact with said upper limb platform, for exerting a force against said upper limb platform; and wherein said movement altering device alters a movement of said mobile platform;   b. a controller interface for controlling said movement altering device;   c. a computational device for controlling said controller interface, said computational device comprising a VR (virtual reality) module for constructing a VR environment, wherein said computational device provides haptic feedback to the subject through said rehabilitation device; and   d. a VR display for the subject to view the VR environment.   
     
     
         2 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 1 , wherein said movement altering device further comprises a motor or a brake, or a combination thereof, for exerting a force on said mobile platform. 
     
     
         3 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 2 , wherein said movement altering device further comprises a plurality of motors and wherein said rehabilitation device further comprises a location sensor for detecting a location of said mobile platform, such that said computational device detects a movement of said mobile platform and communicates one or more commands to said plurality of motors according to said movement. 
     
     
         4 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one physiological sensor for detecting a physiological signal of the subject, and a physiological monitor for receiving said physiological signal and for transmitting said physiological signal to said computational device, wherein said VR module adjusts said VR environment according to said physiological signal. 
     
     
         5 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 4 , wherein said physiological signal comprises one or more of an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor, an electromyogram (EMG) sensor, an electrooculography (EOG) sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near-infrared spectroscopic imaging (fNRIS), or a skin conductance sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 3 , wherein said mobile platform comprises a gripping device for being gripped by the subject. 
     
     
         7 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 3 , wherein said mobile platform comprises an articulate handle assembly movable, during a rehabilitation session, within a plane which is substantially coplanar or parallel to the transverse plane of the subject, wherein the handle assembly is provided with a gripping device comprising a shaft, characterized in that said articulate handle assembly comprises:
 a. a supporting structure having first and a second holding elements pivotally connected together to rotate about a first axis of rotation (θ l ) perpendicular to said transverse plane,   b. a third holding element connected to said supporting structure, and   c. a fourth holding element supporting the shaft of the gripping device and pivotally connected to said third holding element to rotate about a second axis of rotation (θ 2 ) which is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation (θ l ), and in that said first and second axis of rotation (θ l , θ 2 ) as well as the central axis (θ 3 ) of the shaft of the gripping device always intersect at one point independently from the orientation of each of the first, second, third and fourth holding elements,   
     
     
         8 . The robotic integrated platform according to  claim 7 , characterized in that each of said first and second holding elements of the supporting structure comprises upper and lower parts which are parallel to said transverse plane of the subject, wherein the upper part and lower parts of the first holding element are pivotally connected respectively to the upper and lower parts of the second holding element such that said first and second holding elements are both rotatable about said first axis of rotation (θ l ). 
     
     
         9 . The robotic integrated platform according to  claim 8 , characterized in that said third holding element comprises upper and lower parts which are parallel to said transverse plane of the patient and pivotally connected to respective upper and lower parts of the first and/or second holding elements. 
     
     
         10 . The robotic integrated platform according to  claim 7 , characterized in that said first, second, third and fourth holding element have a general C-shaped or Q-shaped construction. 
     
     
         11 . The robotic integrated platform according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the gripping device of the handle assembly comprises two ergonomic parts and two foldable structure therebetween, the two ergonomic part being spaced apart in a resting position and arranged to be squeezed against each other by the hand grasp movements of the subject, wherein each foldable structure is connected to the shaft of the gripping device and to a travel nut of a ball screw mounted inside said shaft , each foldable structure being further slidably mounted on the inner side of the corresponding complementary part of said gripping device . 
     
     
         12 . The robotic integrated platform according to  claim 11 , characterized in that each foldable structure comprises two interconnected links pivotally mounted together at their center, wherein one extremity of one intersecting link of each foldable structure is connected to the shaft of the gripping device , the other extremity of said one intersecting link being slidably mounted along a rail arranged on the inner side of the corresponding complementary part of the gripping device, and wherein one extremity of the other intersecting link is connected to the inner side of said complementary part, the other extremity of said other intersecting link being connected to a travel nut of a ball screw mounted inside the shaft of the gripping device. 
     
     
         13 . The robotic integrated platform according to  claim 7 , characterized in that a motor is mounted on the third holding element to assist and/or impede the rotation of the fourth holding element about said second axis of rotation (θ 2 ). 
     
     
         14 . The robotic integrated platform according to  claim 7  characterized in that said system comprises a motor arranged inside the shaft of the gripping device, wherein said motor is coupled to the ball screw to assist or impede grasp movements of the subject's upper limb. 
     
     
         15 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller for monitoring EEG or EMG signals of the subject, and for controlling said movement altering device to provide force feedback according to said signals. 
     
     
         16 . The robotic integrated platform of  claim 1 , wherein said movement altering device comprises a braking device, wherein said braking device comprises a fixed part mounted on the third holding element and a rotating part rotatably mounted on the fixed part and connected to the fourth holding element in order to rotate about said second axis of rotation (θ 2 ), the braking device further comprising an actuator configured to come into contact, upon actuation, with the rotating part thereby stopping its rotation in order to simulate a physical contact with a virtual object. 
     
     
         17 . A method for the rehabilitation of an upper limb of a subject comprising the steps of:
 a. mapping the movements of the subjects into virtual or augmented reality environments by said computational device, in which the subject receives visual feedback concerning his/her own movements as well as visual feedback about a virtual/augmented environment whose physical properties are simulated through the robotic integrated platform of  claim 1 ;   b. recording physiological signals of the subject as well as movements parameters of the mobile platform when the subject is operating said robotic integrated platform; and   c. controlling the movements of said robotic integrated platform by said computational device according to the recorded physiological signals or movement parameters.   
     
     
         18 . A method for the rehabilitation of an upper limb of a subject with the robotic integrated platform of  claim 1 , the steps of the method being performed by a computational device, the method comprising: initializing a VR (virtual reality) environment for the subject; analyzing movement data of a movement of said mobile platform; adjusting said VR environment according to said movement data; and adjusting a resistance or assistance provided by said movement altering device according to said movement data. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising displaying visual feedback of said movement of said mobile platform in said VR environment. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising receiving a physiological signal of the subject and adjusting said VR environment according to said physiological signal.